It will be interesting to find out how former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking in Grand Rapids tonight, weighs in on whether President Barack Obama needs to speak loudly in support of Iranians protesting last week's election.

In the past, she's taken a lead from her former boss in the White House and not spoken critically of the Obama administration.

Appearing on "The Tonight Show" in March, Ms. Rice told Jay Leno she has no interest in slinging mud at Obama. President George W. Bush had similarly declined critiques even as former Vice President Dick Cheney made the circuit espousing his belief that Obama decisions on Guantanamo Bay and enhanced interrogation methods would threaten the safety of U.S. citizens.

Rice speaks to the Economic Club of Grand Rapids at 7 p.m. If she does not touch on the situation in Iran in her formal address, rest assured that someone in the audience will ask her about it.

The criticism came even after the White House released an Obama statement Saturday calling the situation in Iran a "violent and unjust" government crackdown on protesters.

Chief among his critics was his 2008 opponent in the race for president.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the president's opponent in the 2008 election, said Obama should "be stronger than he has been" with Iran and suggested European heads of state were showing more leadership than Obama on the issue.

"I think we ought to have America lead. When you look at the statements by President Sarkozy, Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Brown have been much stronger. We should lead. And I also think he should point out that this is not just an Iranian issue. This is an American issue -- what we're all about," McCain said on CBS' "Face the Nation." "The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on ABC's "This Week." "He's been timid and passive more than I would like."

Both McCain and Graham said Obama was moving in the right direction with his written statement Saturday but needs to do more.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a Holland Republican, ranking minority on the House intelligence committee and candidate for governor, told "FOX News Sunday" that Obama needs to address Iranians and U.S. citizens in person.

"This president is a great orator. This president needs to come out, he needs to speak to the American people, but more important he needs to speak to the people of Iran, the people of the Middle East and he has to make a forceful statement on behalf of the people on the streets for freedom and democracy," Hoekstra said.

Analysts acknowledge the delicate balance Obama must strike. Speaking too critically about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would allow him to frame the ongoing debate about his controversial re-election as a fight between Iran and the U.S.

Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana said, "I think the president is handling a rapidly evolving, very complex situation about as well as you can expect. He has put us clearly on the side of the reformers, clearly on the side of fair and free elections, clearly condemned the violence. But he's done it in a smart way.

"This regime is rapidly losing legitimacy with its own people. ...We should not let them change the narrative to one of being meddling Americans," Bayh told "FOX News Sunday."